I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an oxygen delivery system for use in oxygenating the water within live-well holding tanks for fish and/or minnows. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved oxygen delivery system for use in a fishing vessel which is capable of delivering oxygen to individual fish and minnow live-well holding tanks for sustaining the fish and minnows therewithin, as well as delivering oxygen to a person in need of oxygen, such as in the case of a medical emergency.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
The sport of fishing is an endeavor which enjoys widespread acceptance by professional and casual fishermen alike, encompassing virtually every age group from young children to the elderly. With such sweeping support, the pool of fishermen necessarily includes a large number of people who have existing health problems or who are likely candidates to experience health problems. In particular, many fishermen may suffer from cardiovascular disease, a disorder which afflicts an enormous percent of the population and causes threat to literally millions of people worldwide. In the United States alone, cardiovascular disease results in approximately one million deaths each year, accounting for nearly one half of all deaths occurring within the United States per annum. More specifically, coronary artery disease is responsible for roughly one half of these cardiovascular disease deaths, afflicting an estimated 6.2 million people in the United States. Coronary artery disease impairs blood flow to the heart so that the heart is less effective as a pump and consequently becomes incapable of circulating a sufficient amount of blood throughout the body, which results in an increased risk of suffering from myocardial infarction and sudden death.
Sudden death due to coronary artery disease is a death that is not preceded by any condition that would appear fatal, and often occurs within two hours of the onset of symptoms. It is the most prominent medical emergency in the United States today and, alarmingly, approximately two-thirds of all such sudden deaths occur outside the hospital. Myocardial infarction, commonly referred to as a heart attack, is a condition caused by occlusion of one or more of the coronary arteries. The symptoms include prolonged heavy pressure or squeezing pain in the center of the chest, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and shortness of breath. Heart attacks may range in degree from mild to massive; however, not all heart attacks cause the heart to completely stop beating. In fact, in many instances the heart continues to beat but is simply incapable of adequately circulating the blood throughout the body. In either event, it is imperative that medical care be obtained without delay.
The major threat during a condition of improper blood circulation, or heart cessation, is the resultant decrease in the oxygen content of the blood. Insufficient oxygenation of the blood, known as hypoxemia, can cause severe changes in the metabolism of the body as well as metabolic and respiratory acidosis. This acidotic condition is particularly menacing in that it can frustrate actions taken to defibrillate the heart, as well as thwart or retard the beneficial effects of certain drugs that may be administered to aid the heart attack victim. Moreover, the lack of oxygen in the blood during a heart attack is capable of causing irreversible brain damage after only 5 to 10 minutes from the time the heart stops beating. To counteract these ill-effects of hypoxemia, the American Heart Association recommends that 100% oxygen be supplied to all persons suffering from a heart attack.
Contrary to popular belief, most heart attacks are not the product of heavy or excessive physical exertion. Rather, the majority of heart attacks strike while the victim is at rest or during periods of mild exertion, such as fishing. The sport of fishing typically involves a degree of traveling about a body of water in a vessel, such as a motor boat, in an effort to search for and catch fish. This traveling about necessarily increases the amount of time required to reach the safety of the shore for medical assistance in an emergency situation, such as during a heart attack. As noted above, time is of the essence during such an exigency to minimize or prevent a condition of insufficient blood oxygenation so as to avoid such complications as acidosis and irreversible brain damage.
A need therefore exists for providing an oxygen delivery system for a fishing vessel to aid any individuals therewithin who may be in need of oxygen, such as during a heart attack, stroke, or heat exhaustion. In addition, with the inherent spatial constraints of a fishing vessel, it would be advantageous to consolidate this need to provide oxygen for humans with the need to oxygenate the water within live-well holding tanks for sustaining fish and minnows while being transported within the fishing vessel. Such live-well holding tanks are common in the art and typically equipped with an oxygen supply tank and various regulators for metering oxygen into the water bath within the live-well holding tanks to keep the minnows and fish alive for long periods of time.